The present invention relates generally to control systems and, more particularly, to modeling interdependencies in manufacturing processes capable of being described procedurally, such as batch production plants, where a set of inputs produces one or more outputs.
Batch operations produce finite quantities of material by processing input materials in a defined order using one or more pieces of equipment and/or manual process interactions. Examples of products made using batch manufacturing techniques include pharmaceuticals, foods and beverages, health and beauty products, and fine and specialty chemicals. The Instrument Society of America (ISA) S88 standard describes an internationally accepted way to describe how the manufacturing of finite quantities (batches or lots) of materials are produced. The activities and functions associated with batch production may be automated by modeling the procedures and the equipment used in manufacturing. Control systems configured to control the operation of batch operations may include both supervisory control and equipment control.